Staying in the Room

My cousin Nate, interviewing Ann Romney

I am squeamish about a politics blog post.
But here it goes.
My cousin Nate is a news reporter in Virginia.  This is his perfect job.  When we were kids running barefoot around the South Jordan suburbs, he loved worshipped Oprah.  Not kidding.  He wanted to be her when he grew up.  And Reba.  We once went to a Reba concert together and ate 5 Arby sandwiches.  It remains both disgustingly good and memorable.  Sorry, Natey, I just can't help it.  I remember way back when. Oh, I have so many good stories I could use...  

Nate, Clin (more good stories), and I taped multiple interviews using a microphone and a tape player.  When we listen to them now I am shocked at how good my multiple personality disorder was.

Nate gets to interview people all the time.  He texted me last weekend and said, "Interviewing Ann Romney in a few, what should I ask her?  I have five minutes."  Uh... 

Later this week he gets Mitt and Paul Ryan.  It's not just the Republicans.  He's also asked for interviews with Michelle and Barack. Obama!  Since Virginia is a swing state he's likely to get them.

Did I mention insanely jealous?  It's a great weakness, I know.  I offered to be his make-up girl and tag along.  I imagine myself interviewing the candidates and wives and trying to be serious…"So, what are your thoughts on the economy?" and they would burst out laughing.

I think it would be safer if I stuck to diapers and the garden.  Side note:  My nightmare job?  The candidate's wife.  Ugh. Worst job ever. 

Did you watch the political conventions?  I was totally into it.  Even when I was in the kitchen scooping Friendly's Forbidden Chocolate and falling asleep on the couch through half the speeches.  I was there!

At this very moment my family is engaged in a friendly and feisty discussion/debate over email regarding the current campaign.  With every statistic, there is another comeback.  It's good stuff, let me tell you.

When I emailed my father saying how much I loved Clinton's 48 minute speech, I thought he might hop on a plane and get me into a Republican intervention, starting with a tour of the Reagan library where my Uncle Herb gives tours and teaches advanced law at Pepperdine.  Alongside Ken Starr. "Oh Amy…" My father's voice is clear even over email.  I can see the clutching of the chest, the gasp of shock.  "Don't you let those east coast Democrats..."

He is kidding, kidding.  But you see, my father is a serious Republican.  The Dems don't want you to know this, but he's a Republican AND really does care about people.  He serves, serves, serves.  And runs a small business that is already heavily taxed.  He's open-minded and intelligent.  Gregor just loves to get him going.

My twin reacted to my Clinton comment with, "You're not the first woman Clinton has wooed."

ew.

Yes, one must stand firm like the oak tree in my family.

One of the best things to happen to me was to grow up in a conservative family, then move in with a liberal (after we were married, of course!  I'm a Mormon!).

This has been wonderfully eye-opening.  I have come to the conclusion that most people want to get along.  Most of us all want the same things in life.  There are just different ways of getting there. 

Instead of leaving the room when the subject of politics comes us, I'm trying to stay in the room and listen.  I am committing to more awareness.  Shouldn't we?  These people work for us.  Shouldn't I know who they are? 

I notice we get awfully tense and nervous when the subject of politics comes up.  Faces freeze.  I tend to look around for the nearest exit.  I suddenly feel itchy and uncomfortable.  My stomach tenses and the butterflies flap nervously.

Childhood.  This is where, I'm convinced, the deeply engrained beliefs are formed on any issue.  We grow up and embrace or reject, but for most, we accept the things we are taught. Isn't scary to think how different you would be if you'd been born, to say, racist skinheads?  Just sayin'.  Life might be viewed a little differently.

Take that and your current surrounding culture, and you've got a political opinion.  It just works that way.  We are influenced by those we are surrounded with.

And we all think we're right.

With my deeply engrained political beliefs of small government, fiscal conservatism, and belief in family, I was proud of the Republican party at the convention.  After Ann got going, I really enjoyed listening to her.  Rubio was great.  I thought Romney was inspiring.  Though the press often paints him as heartless, I don't believe that's true.

Plus, let's just get it out there - there's the Mormon connection. Gregor went to school with a Romney son and introduced us at the airport once.  Tagg Romney coaches my cousin's son's soccer team.  Even though there are millions, the Mormon world sometimes feels very small; through a few small degrees, we all know seem to know each other.  With a Romney or Marriott in the house, people talk.  And Mormons have loved the Romneys for a very long time.  Without even personally knowing him, I do know what it takes to be a Mormon Bishop.  I have seen it first hand time after time after time.  You have to be incredibly upstanding.  It is a life of unselfish service.  But that's largely left out of what we know about Romney.  And maybe it should be.

And when he mentioned the Mormon Church in his speech?  My mouth dropped open.  We are at that point in time where a presidential candidate can stand at a podium, in front of millions, and it's okay to be a Mormon.  

It is freeing.

I loathed Clinton as President.  The "scandel" rocked my world and I didn't believe a man who was so immoral and dishonest in his private life could be honest and moral in his public life.

Yet, since, Clinton has grown on me.  He does really good work now.  He's devoted his life to service.  His 48 minute speech held me entranced.  I thought he knocked it right out of the park.

I noticed George W. Bush was nowhere near the convention.  I actually feel sorry him.  He did America and his own a party a great disservice.  Our debt sky-rocketed under his administration.  How can we believe the Republicans will be fiscally responsible when they weren't before?  

And then President Obama speaks.  And guess what?  He wants the same things too!  I didn't think it was his best speech, but he was still good.  His oratorical gift is unmatched.  I am always moved listening to him.  When I watch the crowd I feel the emotion; they love him.  They believe him.  I'm convinced he's a very moral and good man who only has the best intentions for this country.  Again, we are at a point in history where our president is a black man.  Awesome.

I am turned off by either extreme.  I land somewhere in the middle.  Passionless?  No.  I'd say balanced.  Unfortunately, both candidates of both parties must convince their base, and the extreme, so they can win.  That's when I want to walk out of the room...

The question of this election and all others - Will he be a good president?  My dad would say it's a clear choice of philosophy and direction.

We all must answer.

Who's the guy?  Next time it might be a girl.

In two months I'll be walking into the voting booth.  I'm excited for that day.  I came to the realization that if our first Mormon president is elected, I will be thrilled, but sad for Obama.  And if Obama wins I will be excited that we still have our first black president, but sad for the Republicans.  And the Mormons.  But either way, it will be somewhat thrilling for me, no matter who wins.  It just feels like we're all in this together.

Are you still in the room?  Do you have an opinion on the matter?  I hope we're still friends.